science wire

From the depths of the ocean to the craters of the moon, Carnegie Mellon University has spent more than 40 years designing robots for the most extreme environments.

On industrial sites and large farms, critical work often happens in fields, hillsides and overgrown areas that are difficult or dangerous for people to access. Carnegie Mellon researchers are developing off-road robots designed to navigate those environments and take on tasks that put human workers at risk.

Downed power lines, flooding and collapsed buildings are dangerous obstacles emergency responders must navigate when searching for survivors of catastrophic events.

Researchers at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) have developed a new methodology for a robot to learn how to move its arms autonomously by combining a type of observational learning with intercommunication between its limbs.

The FireDrone is designed to deliver real-time data from high-risk areas that are too dangerous for humans and conventional drones.

From a mechanical guide dog to a self-learning exoskeleton and magnetically controlled bacteria, researchers at ETH Zurich are busy devising robots for medical applications.

Residents at an assisted-living community near Carnegie Mellon University recently tested a new kind of caregiving assistant: a conversational robotic arm designed to understand and respond to their speech.

While machine learning has long been a cornerstone of robotics, the latest AI revolution is reshaping how robots are taught. Cloud-based simulations have made training faster and more efficient than ever. Step inside the Soft Robotics Lab at ETH Zurich, and you find yourself in a space that is part children's nursery, part high-tech workshop and part cabinet of curiosities.

Scientists have integrated discarded crustacean shells into robotic devices, leveraging the strength and flexibility of natural materials for robotic applications.

In what had long been merely the stuff of dreams for archaeologists, a "smart robot" has now put shattered ancient murals from Pompeii back together, piece by tiny piece.

Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), together with Novo Nordisk, Harting and several other partners, aim to develop a humanoid robot capable of taking over, for instance, repetitive and hazardous tasks in industry.

Researchers have engineered a fiber-based electronic sensor that remains functional even when stretched to over 10 times its original length. The device holds promise for smart textiles, physical rehabilitation devices, and soft robotics. The phrase 'liquid metal' may bring to mind something hazardous, like mercury or molten steel.

A new development in affordable, open-source mobile networks which enables near-real-time control of robotic arms could help doctors work on patients in remote locations in the years to come.

In the days leading up to this year's IndyCar Java House Grand Prix of Monterey, eight race cars sped around one of the most famous road courses in the United States: the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Autonomous drones are becoming an important tool on construction sites because they can quickly survey land and buildings without needing someone to fly them.

A new study from the University of Waterloo has unveiled major privacy weaknesses in collaborative robots - calling for stronger defenses.

Scientists at UCL, Google DeepMind and Intrinsic have developed a powerful new AI algorithm that enables large sets of robotic arms to work together faster and smarter in busy industrial settings - potentially saving manufacturers hours of planning time and boosting flexibility.

Researchers at Empa, together with international partners, have published the largest open battery dataset to date in a new data format.

Brain implants, intelligent sensors, and green AI microchips that mimic the low energy consumption of the brain.

A new AI-powered tool created by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science could change the way we manufacture and build things.

Farmers might be able to get help tending and harvesting crops using a new sensing technology from Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute (RI). Researchers invented a tool called  SonicBoom that can find crops like apples based on the sound they make. The novel technology, still in the early stages of development, may someday be used by farm robots for tasks like pruning vines or locating ripe apples hidden among the leaves.

An international research team led by the University of Waterloo is developing technology to dissolve painful kidney stones in the urinary tract using tiny robots.

Researchers are developing robotic beehive frames that help locate honey stores inside of beehives over time, without relying on cameras. The aim is to develop new observation tools to study honeybee behavior that better fit the bees' natural way to occupy space compared to current methods. Cyril Monette is fascinated by collective behavior.

Robotics engineers at the University of Würzburg have developed a novel 3D laser scanner system for precise plant analysis in the field for the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy in Potsdam. Whether strawberries, asparagus or apples: when it comes to harvesting, skilled workers are often in short supply.

The skies are getting crowded. Every day, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration manages tens of thousands of flights - from drones and helicopters to commercial jets.